FACULTY RECRUITMENT & DEVELOPMENT After a careful analysis of our strengths and weakness with regards to our current research infrastructure, and by assessing our status in reference to the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan for Research, it is evident that we must redouble efforts to continue and strengthen faculty recruitment and development. In the present competitive continuation application, we propose to recruit additional faculty in the designated areas which include; Cancer Biology/Oncology, Neurosciences, HIV/AIDS, Human Genetics, and Cardiovascular/Hypertension. The basic strategy will be to identify and recruit well-trained and promising junior faculty in the different targeted areas, and to provide the necessary resources and effective mentoring for them to develop into independent, competitive, mainstream biomedical investigators. Nonetheless, the institution will devote efforts to attract more experienced investigators who will serve as magnets, and to mentor junior investigators. The establishment and expansion of research partnerships/consortiums will be pursued and developed with research-intensive institutions in the United States. These affiliations should significantly contribute to faculty development including effective mentorship, and competitive research collaborations. A part of the institutional efforts to nurture an environment more conducing to faculty development, institutional faculty promotion and retention policies and guidelines have been revised to stimulate career development. During this rebuilding phase of our program, the RCMI Administrative Core will lead efforts to specifically strengthen the following areas, utilizing both institutional as well as RCMI financial resources: (1) Faculty Recruitment: Recruitment of basic and clinical investigators will be emphasized during this phase. In addition to junior faculty level investigators, highly experienced and productive researchers will be actively sought. The main intention is for them to serve as magnet investigators in the targeted areas. (2) Faculty Mentorship: A more formal and organized mentorship program will be developed in close collaboration with accomplished and experienced faculty at research-intensive institutions in the United States. Some of these mentors will emanate from the established research partnerships.